Stephen Dinan
Articles by Stephen Dinan
Judge blocks ICE from rearresting Kilmar Abrego Garcia for ‘foreseeable future’
A federal judge ruled Tuesday that the Trump administration has been playing games with Kilmar Abrego Garcia, and issued a new order barring ICE from trying to rearrest him any time soon. Published February 17, 2026
Trump’s DOJ asks appeals court to block California law forcing ICE to show name or badge number
The Trump administration asked a federal appeals court on Tuesday to step in and halt a California law that would require ICE and other federal immigration officers to display either their name or a badge number when they are carrying out their duties. Published February 17, 2026
Judge orders Park Service to restore slavery exhibits and compares Trump to Orwell’s ‘1984’
A federal judge ordered the National Park Service to restore mentions of slavery to a park site associated with George Washington in Philadelphia, scolding the Trump administration on Monday for slipping into "Big Brother's domain" from George Orwell's dystopian novel "1984." Published February 16, 2026
Nasty neighbors: Trump’s Cabinet goes ‘gutter’ in clashes with Congress
Attorney General Pam Bondi's combative congressional testimony last week followed a pattern of increasingly nasty exchanges between Congress and members of President Trump's Cabinet. Published February 16, 2026
Catholic Democrats say ICE is violating God’s will with deportation surge
Catholic Democrats in Congress say ICE is violating God's precepts in carrying out President Trump's mass deportation mission. Published February 16, 2026
Judge rules ICE can’t make warrantless arrests at some churches
A federal judge said Friday that ICE's policy of allowing arrests at churches tramples on religious rights, and he issued an order blocking arrests unless there is an immediate threat to public safety. Published February 13, 2026
Republicans ask Supreme Court to block pro-Democrat rewrite of N.Y. congressional map
New York Republicans rushed to the Supreme Court Friday to ask the justices to block a last-minute attempt to redraw a GOP-held congressional district. Published February 13, 2026
Hispanic groups warn Trump’s ICE surge could ‘nullify’ GOP’s Texas congressional goals
Republicans may not be able to make good on the five seats they hope to net from Texas' new congressional map, according to an immigration group that says the GOP is counting on Hispanics who are slipping away. Published February 13, 2026
DOJ says Harvard is hiding racial admissions data
The Justice Department accused Harvard University of hiding its data about racial admissions and filed a lawsuit Friday demanding the school release the information to federal investigators. Published February 13, 2026
Judge orders ICE to let clergy distribute ashes to migrants in detention on Ash Wednesday
A federal judge on Thursday ordered ICE to let members of the clergy into a migrant processing facility near Chicago to distribute ashes next week on Ash Wednesday, saying the government's attempt to block them was a violation of their religious rights. Published February 12, 2026
Judge blocks Pentagon from punishing Sen. Mark Kelly
A federal judge on Thursday issued an injunction forbidding Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth from taking steps to punish Sen. Mark Kelly, saying the Pentagon cannot claim the power to strip a retired officer of his First Amendment rights. Published February 12, 2026
Judge Boasberg orders DHS to bring back some deported Venezuelans
A federal judge on Thursday ordered the Trump administration to bring back some of the Venezuelans ousted in last year's deportation flights in March -- and told the government to pay for the transportation. Published February 12, 2026
‘Admit their mistakes’: Sen. Rand Paul makes ICE, CBP chiefs watch shooting of Alex Pretti
Sen. Rand Paul took the country's immigration chiefs through a step-by-step video of the encounter that led to last month's shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, telling them they've lost the trust of the public. Published February 12, 2026
Border officer charged with harboring migrant niece, who was also his paramour
Authorities announced charges Wednesday against a longtime Customs and Border Protection officer they say was knowingly living with an illegal immigrant girlfriend, who was also his niece. Published February 12, 2026
Trump ends ICE surge in Minnesota; border czar Homan hails ‘great success’
The Trump administration will withdraw the remaining ICE and Border Patrol forces in Minnesota, White House border czar Tom Homan said Thursday. Published February 12, 2026
Judge blocks Trump’s transfer of death row inmates commuted by Biden
A federal judge ruled Wednesday that the Trump administration likely violated the constitutional rights of 20 prisoners when it moved them to the federal government's most restrictive prison. Published February 11, 2026
Judge frees three illegal-immigrant murderers from detention; calls convictions ‘irrelevant’
A federal judge ordered Homeland Security to release three illegal immigrants with homicide convictions on their criminal records and a fourth illegal immigrant convicted of sex crimes. Published February 11, 2026
Pam Bondi confirms ‘pending investigations’ involving Epstein collaborators
Attorney General Pam Bondi told Congress on Wednesday that the Justice Department has active investigations stemming from accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, and urged any victims to tell their stories to the FBI. Published February 11, 2026
U.S. deficit rises as Trump tax cuts, immigration crackdown sap revenue
President Trump's tariffs have given Uncle Sam a boost, but the government will still run a nearly $2 trillion deficit this year, the Congressional Budget Office said Wednesday, pointing to overheated spending that far outstrips revenue coming in the door. Published February 11, 2026
Bondi brushes off Epstein questions, says Trump’s transparency is unassailable
Attorney General Pam Bondi rebuffed Democrats' demands to apologize to Epstein victims Wednesday, calling it "theatrics," but saying the Justice Department is ready to investigate anyone else the victims can identify as involved in their trafficking. Published February 11, 2026
